Ding Binbin, Qin Yali, Chen Mingzhou
State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA. 2016 Mar-Apr;7(2):213-26. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1326. Epub 2016 Jan 8.
Viral nucleocapsid proteins (NCs) enwrap the RNA genomes of viruses to form NC-RNA complexes, which act as a template and are essential for viral replication and transcription. Beyond packaging viral RNA, NCs also play important roles in virus replication, transcription, assembly, and budding by interacting with viral and host cellular proteins. Additionally, NCs can inhibit interferon signaling response and function in cell stress response, such as inducing apoptosis. Finally, NCs can be the target of vaccines, benefiting from their conserved gene sequences. Here, we summarize important findings regarding the additional functions of NCs as much more than structural RNA-binding proteins, with specific emphasis on (1) their association with the viral life cycle, (2) their association with host cells, and (3) as ideal candidates for vaccine development.
病毒核衣壳蛋白（NCs）包裹病毒的RNA基因组以形成NC-RNA复合物，该复合物作为模板，对病毒复制和转录至关重要。除了包装病毒RNA外，NCs还通过与病毒和宿主细胞蛋白相互作用，在病毒复制、转录、组装和出芽过程中发挥重要作用。此外，NCs可以抑制干扰素信号反应，并在细胞应激反应中发挥作用，如诱导细胞凋亡。最后，由于其保守的基因序列，NCs可以成为疫苗的靶点。在这里，我们总结了关于NCs作为不仅仅是结构性RNA结合蛋白的额外功能的重要发现，特别强调了（1）它们与病毒生命周期的关联，（2）它们与宿主细胞的关联，以及（3）作为疫苗开发的理想候选物。
